Capture the Flag

Capture the Flag (CTF) is the primary game-type in Tribes: Ascend. The game ends after 25 minutes or after 5 flags have been captured. The enemy flag is the main target, but the secondary target is the Generator which is important for defending the base. At the end of the match, the players are sent to the Match Summary screen where they are ranked by score. At this point players can also add friends or mute annoying players.

Capper: This role is one of the most important (and therefore most popular) on the team. The Capper's job is to capture the enemy flag. This is usually done using the Pathfinder class as it has the most energy and equipment for high speed. Skiing, Nitron-boosting and Disk-jumping are important skills to master to be an effective capper.

Light Offense (LO): LO can be played by any light class, but Infiltrators and Sentinels often fill this role. Infiltrators can play LO by destroying the enemy generator and clearing the flag stand of Light Turrets, Force Fields, and Mines/Claymores. Sentinels play LO by sniping near the enemy base, taking out deployables and flag defenders, as well as catching enemy cappers when they return from a flag run.

Medium Offense (MO): Although any medium class can fill this role, it is usually handled by the Raider. Raiders have very effective weapons for breaking into the enemy base and destroying the generator, or for disrupting the enemy defense near the flag. They are also good at killing enemy players indoors or at short range.

Midfielder (MF) Midfielders serve a variety of roles. Primarily their job is to intercept incoming enemy offense or cappers who have the team's flag. MFs can be any class as their job varies quite a bit. Sentinels sometimes play MFs wielding their sniper rifles. Doombringers occasionally play MF by shooting Saber Missiles. Soldiers are probably the most rounded class, so they make good MFs.

Chaser: The Chaser's job is to catch enemy cappers who have taken the flag. Because Cappers usually travel at high speed, Chasers are usually light or occasionally medium classes. Pathfinders work best as Chasers considering their mobility..

Light Defense (LD): LD can be played by any light class, but is usually done by Sentinels and some Infiltrators. Sentinels can deploy Drop Jammers to reveal enemy Infiltrators, as well as Claymores to defend the base/flag. Additionally, Sentinels can use their sniper weapons to shoot down cappers before and after they grab the flag, or to soften up other offensive players before they reach the rest of the base's defense. Infiltrators can deploy Prism Mines to add to defense, as well as hiding near the flag as melee striking cappers as they come in.

Heavy on Flag (HoF): Any heavy class can fill the HoF role, but Doombringers are well suited to it. Doombringers can deploy mines and Force Fields to catch enemy cappers. They also have the Chain Gun which works best when enemy players are traveling straight towards or away from you, as they do on the flag. Finally, Doombringers have the Saber Launcher which can fire homing missiles at cappers who are in the air or vehicles like the Shrike. Any class can also use the Super Heavy perk when standing on the flag as this makes it difficult for enemy players to blast you away with explosive weapons. Super Heavy also deals damage to enemy players who run into you when fully upgraded.

Deployer: The Deployer is usually played by the Technician class, but Doombringers can also fill this role. Technicians are good deployers because they can place Light Turrets and Motion Sensors. They also have access to the Thumper which is a very effective explosive weapon. Additionally, Technicians have the Improved Repair Tool which lets they keep base assets such as Turrets, Sensors, and the Generator in good shape. Doombringers can also fill this role by deploying Force Fields and Mines, as well as using the Heavy Bolt Launcher for indoor defense.

The key to success in CTF is to have a clear idea of what person is filling which role. The proper distribution of offense to defense depends on the play styles of the invidual players. If you notice an oversight in your team's strategy, it important to change your play-style or class accordingly to aid the team. Although deathmatching will occur in public matches, it best to focus on your primary role when your role is active. This means a chaser can deathmatch while your team's flag is on the stand but is expected to be in position to chase down a capper at anytime. Communication between team members are vital to the sucess of a team; Tribes: Ascend uses VGS for in game voice communication.